First edition of Reverie by Martin Amis. First impression. Medium format hardback in new condition. Signed by the artist on the copyright page.

About

Martin Amis new photobook Reverie is a natural continuation of his previous work, This Land. It sees the photographer return to the Thames Estuary and it’s surrounding areas in North Kent, the tidal area where the River Thames meets the North Sea. Like dreams, this landscape, not quite land, not quite water, is an in-between space, neither here nor there. It is a landscape scored with stories of the past, as well as uncertainty around the future.

People are absent from the images, yet there are traces of human presence: the skeletal hulks of ships, electricity lines and fences, polluted waters, and industrial pipes billowing smoke on the horizon. Through these subtle details, Amis alludes to the ongoing destruction of these rural areas, many of which have been earmarked for new housing developments.

The passing of time is evident throughout. As the book segues through the seasons, we are carried into a dreamlike flow, witnessing both the quiet strength and beauty of nature, while also recognising what we risk losing in destroying these precious habitats.